Billy Sure Kid Entrepreneur and the Invisible Inventor Read online

  Emily comes bursting from the house.

  “Here, Dad, let me help you with that,” she says.

  “All done, Em,” says Dad. “That was the last one. Looks like you still have one more nice big thing you have to do for me before you can be ungrounded.”

  Emily smiles. “All right,” she says. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

  Well, it looks like I’m going to have Ultra Super Nice Emily around for a little while longer. Which is a good thing to look forward to, at least . . . because I have a feeling Nat and Jada aren’t done trying to steal Manny away from Sure Things, Inc.

  My name is Billy Sure. Right now I’m sitting at my workbench at the World Headquarters of Sure Things, Inc. Across the room— which used to be the Reyes family garage—sits my best friend and business partner, Manny Reyes. Manny and I make up Sure Things, Inc., the world’s only inventing company run by seventh graders—or so we thought.

  We recently discovered that a company named Definite Devices also exists, and it is also run by two seventh graders—Nat Definite and Jada Parikh. And not only do they exist, but they were working on an invisibility invention at the same time Manny and I were at Sure Things, Inc.!

  As you can imagine, that was kind of a problem. But Manny, being the genius chief financial officer he is, worked out a deal. We all agreed to release a joint invisibility invention produced by both Sure Things, Inc. and Definite Devices—the Definitely Sure Invisibility (and Anti-Invisibility) Sprays. We joined forces on this one project only.

  Before our two companies agreed to work together, Nat did her best to try to steal Manny away from me—and from Sure Things, Inc! She wanted him to work with her over at Definite Devices, because . . . well, the obvious answer is that Manny is a brilliant CFO, businessperson, marketing genius, computer whiz . . . but it’s more than that.

  Nat has a crush on Manny!

  “That is the most beautiful spreadsheet I’ve ever seen, Manny,” Nat says, her face glowing. (Oh yeah. Because we’re technically partners and all, she’s sitting at the World Headquarters now too.)

  Jada, who Manny agreed to train as the CFO for Definite Devices, scrunches up her face.

  “How can a spreadsheet be beautiful, Nat?” she asks. “It’s just a series of numbers and projections and—”

  “Anything Manny does is beautiful,” says Nat.

  See what I mean?

  “So, Jada,” Manny begins, doing his best to ignore Nat. “As you can see, we’ve placed the sprays in a few high-end specialty stores.”

  “To generate early buzz on social media,” Jada adds.

  “Exactly,” Manny replies. “So by the time we release it to the major chains—”

  “—people will be waiting in line to buy it,” Jada finishes.

  Jada’s really smart. Like . . . Manny-smart.

  Just then, a noise comes from Manny’s phone.

  Ping!

  “Looks like we have another incident of someone using the Definitely Sure Invisibility Spray to cut a line,” Manny says, frowning. “Last week someone used it at a movie theater. Now in a theme park.”

  “That’s not good,” I say. Then I get an idea. “Maybe the next batch of sprays can make kids who try to cut lines grow really big noses! Temporarily, of course.”

  “Great idea, partner,” Manny says. “Maybe even a nose like an elephant trunk—that could make using the rides really hard!”

  I might be imagining it, but I think he emphasized the word “partner” so that Nat and Jada would notice.

  “All right, that’s enough work for today,” Manny adds with a smile.

  I think what Manny really means is, You should go home now, Nat.

  Nat frowns. But she can’t complain, because she has been here for hours. She and Jada pack up and leave.

  I’m just about to do my best Nat imitation, (“Manny, you are so, so funny!”) when Briiiiing! Briiiing! My phone rings. Who could be calling now?

  I pick up the phone, hoping the call has nothing to do with Definite Devices. Don’t get me wrong—I’m happy there are other kids out there who are working on their dream. I’ve just kind of had enough of them for today.

  “Hi, Billy?” comes a voice through the phone.

  Hmm. It definitely doesn’t sound like Nat or Jada from Definite Devices! Who is this?

  “Is this a good time to talk?” she asks, pronouncing every syllable clearly in a British accent. “It’s Gemma Weston.”

  Gemma . . . Weston?!

  She’s only the most famous movie star in the whole world!

  “Uh, hey, Gemma, how are you doing?” I say, thinking instantly that I sound like a major dork. I just so happen to be speaking to one of the world’s biggest celebrities, and here I am, saying things like “uh, hey”!

  “I’m well, thank you,” Gemma replies. “I still think about the fun we had filming Alien Zombie Attack!”

  Okay, explanation. Not too long ago, Manny, Emily, and I were extras in Gemma’s film Alien Zombie Attack! as part of an agreement to let Sure Things, Inc.’s hovercraft invention be used in the film. While there, Emily and Gemma became close friends. And I hadn’t realized it, but I’m now on a first name basis with Gemma Weston too!

  “That was pretty fun, Gemma,” I say. “I had a really good time making that movie. So, what’s up?”

  “If you remember, I told you that I’d love to work with Sure Things, Inc. again,” Gemma says excitedly. “And the chance to work together has just come up! I’ve been asked to host a new TV show called Sing Out and Shout. It’s airing live this weekend. It’s a singing competition show.”

  “A singing competition show,” I repeat. “Is it okay if I put you on speakerphone, Gemma? I’m at the Sure Things, Inc. office now and I’d love to have Manny listen in.”

  “Absolutely!” Gemma says.

  Click. Her voice fills the open air.

  “Hello, Manny! I was just telling Billy about a singing competition TV show I’m hosting. We are looking for celebrity contestants and celebrity judges, and I thought that you two might be interested,” Gemma explains.

  Celebrity judges?!

  Did the mega movie star Gemma Weston just call me a celebrity? I mean, tons of kids know my name because of my inventions and all that—but enough to be called a celebrity by an actual celebrity . . . that’s a whole other level of cool!

  “So, what do you think?” Gemma asks. “Can I count on you two to help me out this weekend?”

  Manny and I exchange looks. The weekend is only a few days away. I’m ready to pipe up and scream YES!, but Manny looks a little concerned.

  “Can you give us a second, Gemma?” I ask. I put the call on mute.

  “What’s the matter?” I ask Manny. “We always have a good time when we go on TV.”

  “Billy, I don’t love being in the spotlight,” Manny says. “Every time we’ve been on TV before, it’s you who’s been interviewed. I only agreed to Alien Zombie Attack! because we were dressed as zombies. And for our Next Big Thing show, I was promoting Sure Things, Inc. But for me personally to be on TV—I just don’t know. . . .”

  Huh. I never realized that Manny has a little bit of stage fright.

  “But that’s the beautiful thing about this show,” I explain. “We won’t be in the spotlight. The celebrity singers will be. And so this becomes awesome publicity for Sure Things, Inc., just as we are pushing the Really Great Hovercraft Toy and the Invisibility Kit. And all this, Manny, will be hosted by a big movie star!”

  Okay, I guess that was all really Manny of me to say. Manny is usually the one to push publicity on me, but I think this makes sense. Also I really want to work with Gemma Weston again. I wouldn’t admit this to anyone, but I might have a teeny-tiny crush on Gemma Weston, although it’s nowhere near as big as the crush Nat has on Manny.

  Manny thinks for a moment, then smiles. I can see him warming to this idea.

  “Well, when you put it that way . . . ,” he says. “All that publi
city. Yeah, let’s do it. After all, what can happen?”

  “Score!” I shout. “I’ll unmute us now.”

  I quickly hit a button on my phone and the call goes live again.

  “Well, that was fast,” Gemma says.

  “Yeah, it didn’t take long for us to figure out that this is a great idea. Manny and I would love to be on Sing Out and Shout. Sign us up!”

  “That’s fantastic, Team Sure Things, Inc.,” she says. “I just know you two are going to have a great time. And also, one request?” she asks. “Please invite Emily to the show on my behalf. I really miss her. And it’s strange—lately it seems that her phone is always off. That’s not like Em at all.”

  I really wasn’t kidding when I said Emily and Gemma are BFFs.

  She’s right, of course. Emily’s phone has been off. That’s because she’s been grounded. Remember when I said we were extras on Gemma’s film? Well, we weren’t supposed to be—a few weeks ago, Emily stole my hovercraft invention and crash-landed at the studio. Dad let us be in the movie, but after Emily’s little bout of—you know—stealing my hovercraft—he grounded her “for life.” I don’t think he’s too serious about the “for life” sentence, though, because later he said that if she is as nice as she can possibly be and does one nice big thing for everyone in the family, she can be off her punishment.

  But until then, no phone. I’m not going to tell Gemma that. Despite the fact that Emily and I don’t always get along— did I mention that she’s my big sister?—I don’t need to embarrass her.

  “I’ll definitely relay the message, Gemma,” I say.

  “Great. Thanks. I’ll send you the schedule for the show soon. See ya, Billy and Manny!”

  “Bye, Gemma,” Manny and I say in unison.

  Bye, Gemma. How cool is that!

  I stand near the door with a huge smile on my face. That’s when I notice something—it’s really late! I hardly noticed the time passing with all of the guests today at the office.

  “Uh, I should go home now,” I say, feeling a little foolish, standing there in a daze because I just got off the phone with Gemma Weston. “See ya tomorrow, Manny. Come on, Philo!”

  My dog, Philo, who always comes with me to the Sure Things, Inc. office, follows me out the door. I hop onto my bike and head for home.

  At home I run into Emily in the upstairs hallway. Or at least, I think I run into Emily. It could also be a flamingo. Or a Pekingese dog. Or an ostrich. But since none of those options really make sense, I decide it’s Emily wearing a really strange-looking hat. The hat has three flowers growing out the front and a statue of a bird with its wings spread open on the back.

  This? This has got to be Emily’s next “thing.” My sister has always had a “thing,” like speaking with a British accent, or wearing glasses with no lenses, or apparently wearing a hat that makes her look like a flamingo-Pekingese-ostrich hybrid. Thankfully, Emily’s things are gone as quickly as they come. And for her sake, I’m hoping this one goes fast.

  “You’re never going to believe who called me today,” I begin, doing my best not to laugh.

  “Dad?” Emily replies. “Saying I’m finally ungrounded and can have my phone back?”

  “Sorry, no,” I say. “It was Gemma Weston!”

  Emily’s expression immediately changes. “She called you? Why did she call you?”

  “She asked Manny and me to be on her new TV show. Isn’t that cool?”

  Emily’s eyes flash. Emily is Sure Things, Inc.’s Very Official Hollywood Coordinator, so technically, booking a TV show falls into her realm of business at Sure Things, Inc. But I think she’s so upset about her phone—or maybe she’s so tired from wearing that heavy hat all day—that she doesn’t say anything.

  I continue.

  “And Gemma invited you to come to the TV show as her special guest, too,” I say. “But it airs this weekend . . .”

  “No! That does it!” Emily screeches. “I have got to get out of this grounded-for-life punishment by then!”

  She storms into her room and slams the door shut.

  You’re welcome, I think.

  LUKE SHARPE is not a millionaire, but he has been trying to invent a machine that can teleport people anywhere in the world since he was eight years old. He has so far been unsuccessful but he has vowed never to give up. When he isn’t working, Luke enjoys Hawaiian pizza and skateboarding. He lives near Chicago with his wife and son (named Billy, of course), their gecko, Eddie, and their aquarium full of exotic fish.

  GRAHAM ROSS has grand plans for world domination through his illustrated inventions. Right now he’s having a “ball” hanging out with Billy Sure, the next sure thing! Graham lives in a little log home in the woods with his inventive family, just outside of Merrickville, Canada.

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  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  SIMON SPOTLIGHT

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  This Simon Spotlight hardcover edition July 2016

  Copyright © 2016 by Simon & Schuster, Inc. Text by Michael Teitelbaum. Illustrations by Graham Ross. All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

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  Designed by Jay Colvin

  The text of this book was set in Minya Nouvelle.

  ISBN 978-1-4814-6197-9 (hc)

  ISBN 978-1-4814-6196-2 (pbk)

  ISBN 978-1-4814-6198-6 (eBook)

  Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 2015958256